Remotely driven toy



Sept. 22, 1970 B. KINLBERG REMOTELY DRIVEN TOY Filed Jan. 31, 1968 Nwf 1 N VENTOR BENJAMIN KINBERG BY 0 0 4 :4 2 w.

A RNEY United States Patent 3,529,378 REMOTELY DRIVEN TOY Benjamin Kinberg, 425 Riverside Drive, New York, N.Y. 10025 Filed Jan. 31, 1968, Ser. No. 701,929 Int. Cl. A63h /00 U.S. Cl. 46-1-18 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to toys, and more particularly relates to a remotely driven toy operable from a control box having a musical producing device therein.

The combination of the movable toy with a device for producing music with operation thereof has been found a desirable feature in childrens toys. In the toys of this nature which are known to the art, the musical mechanism has been mounted in the movable toy. In such toys, however, the operation has usually required the child to push the toy. Remote operation from a standing position while still producing a tune, has not been available.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a remotely controlled toy operable from a control box, having a musical producing device therein.

In accordance with this object, there is provided in a preferred embodiment of the present invention a control box having a crank protruding therefrom and coupled to a shaft rotatably mounted therein. Gear means are provided on the shaft to drive a detent coupling a music box drum. The detent rotates the drum where the shaft is rotated in one direction but uncouples the drum when the shaft is rotated in the opposite direction. At the end of the shaft an elongated flexible coupling is provided. One end of the flexible coupling is connected to. the shaft to be rotatably driven thereby. The other end of the flexible coupling is connected to the movable toy. Gear means are provided within the toy to operate the toy upon rotation of the flexible shaft. Thus, upon rotation of the crank in either direction, the child can move the toy remotely. Upon rotation of the shaft in one direction, however, music will be produced by the music box to produce a tune.

Having briefly described the invention, it will be described in greater detail in the following portions of this specification which may best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawing of which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partially sectioned top view of the toy shown in FIG. 1 useful in explanation of the working parts thereof; and

FIG. 3 is a sectioned view taken along the lines 3-3 of FIG. 2.

In the figures there is shown a control box 10. A crank handle 12 protrudes from the control box and is rotatably driven by the child simultaneously to produce a tune from a music box located in the control box and to drive the remotely positioned toy 14 by means of a flexible cable .16. Upon rotation of the crank 12 in one direction, the toy 14 is driven forward and the tune is produced from the control box 10. The direction of movement of the toy can be reversed by reversing the rotation of crank 12. However, the music producing device is then decoupled from the drive crank 12 to prevent playing of the tune in reverse order.

The mechanical structure is best shown in FIG. 2 which shows the crank 12 coupled to a rotatably mounted shaft 18 within the control box 10. A worm gear 20 is mounted on the shaft 18 and rotates therewith. The Worm gear engages and rotatably drives spur gear 21 (shown in broken lines) on the lower end of shaft 22 to rotate the same. The shaft 22 is supported by a bracket 23 and the detent 24 is mounted on the upper end of shaft 22 to engage the detent stops 26 mounted around the periphery of rotatable drum 28. The drum is provided with a plurality of pins 30 protruding from the periphery thereof to strike the spring-like tone bars 32 in predetermined sequence. As the pins flick the tone bars 32, notes will issue therefrom in a tune determined by the positioning of the pins on the drum.

As will be noted, the detent 24 will drive the drum only in one direction, the direction associated with the production of the predetermined tune. If the crank 12 is reversed, rotation of the drum will cease because the detent will traverse the detent stops 26 and will not engage the detent stops whereby the tune is not played in reverse sequence.

A flexible drive cable 34 is coupled to the end of shaft 18 and rotates therewith. The cable 34 is usually a tightly braided Wire encased within a tubular wound wire sheath 36. The sheath may also be covered with a plastic jacket 37 as is conventional. A spur gear 40 is mounted on the end of a cable 34 and drives the gear 42 thereby to drive the axles 44 and wheels 46 in the toy.

Thus, the child can remotely control the movement of the toy figure by operation of the crank in either direction. However, when the toy is driven in the forward direction, a musical tune will be emitted from the control box.

Although there has been illustrated a wheeled vehicle, other types of vehicles or animated figures can be employed if they can be driven from a rotating source.

What is claimed is:

1. A toy comprising a control box, a crank rotatably mounted in said control box, a flexible cable having one end coupled to said crank and rotatable therewith, a toy figure, the other end of said cable being coupled to said toy figure in operating engagement therewith, a music device, and a means coupling said crank to said music device to drive said music device when said crank is rotated in one direction but to disconnect said coupling when said crank is rotated in the opposite direction.

2. A toy in accordance with claim 1 in which said toy figure is provided with a driving wheel mounted on an axle, a spur gear coupled to said axle, a gear coupled to said other end of said flexible shaft and engaging said spur gear in driving relationship.

3. A toy in accordance with claim 1 in which said drive means in said control box comprises a detent rotatably driven With rotation of said crank, which detent engages detent stops upon rotation in one direction and traverses said detent stops on rotation in the opposite direction.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,859,268 5/1932 Larson 46-118 1,866,477 7/1932 Moore 46-210 1,927,233 9/1933 Forner 46-210 2,705,387 4/1955 Handler et al. 46-117 X 2,908,997 10/1959 Handler 46-175 X 2,947,013 8/1960 Silverman 46-175 X LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner R. F. CUTTING, Assistant Examiner US Cl. X.R. 46-175, 189 

